History
Soluna is an earth-like planet with a setting similar to that of the European Medieval Ages with a touch more magic and fantasy. With the same climates and similar terrains, Soluna is a perfect alternate setting to a parallel earth. There are several major continents in Soluna; The Continent of E'Dan being the largest one located in the north western hemisphere of the planet; The Continent of Heil, located in the south western hemisphere, exactly south of E'Dan is a land teeming with life giving birth to gigantic jungles and enormous beasts. To the east of E'Dan is the Archipelago of the Chain Islands, though not really one continent, they are classified as such. Then to the south eastern half is the mysterious continent of Az. The planet is inhabited by various types of humanoid sentient species. The over populous Humans, the waring tribes of Vaara Elves and Eidran Elves, the draconian Ryth, the cunning Merfaer, and the mysterious Umbrians. ='History of the Planet'= The fourth planet orbiting a yellow star, the planet Soluna is a combination of the words Sol (sun) and Luna (moon), named so for the star that gives it energy and the natural satellite that orbit’s the planet. Far from the young planet, an ancient star had exploded sending pieces of diamond encrusted rocks hurdling into the far reaches of the abyss. This star would be the catalyst for the birth, growth, and eventual death of many species on the planet. Several billion years ago a bright point of light was born in the sky. This light burned more brilliant than any other star in the heavens and was visible both during the night and the day. This light was the last remnant of that ancient star. For billions of years it’s light burned, watching the birth of the first sentient species of the planet, serving as a beacon, an inspiration, a god. The Bronze Age 40 billion years ago, two large comets, pieces of the shattered star, collided with the planet. With it, came all the materials necessary for life to begin on the planet. In it’s wake, it created the sea and skies. The large comets jutted out of the waters, like a small island in a planetary ocean. A few more million years later another piece of the star crashed into Soluna, this one bigger than the other two. It shattered the planets surface, cracking it’s crust, the molten rock erupting out from underneath. The heat from the impact quickly evaporated millions of gallons of water, so much that it uncovered trenches and gorges that once dwelt beneath the sea. The force of the comet was so grand that it triggered the formation of the early continents. The Iron Age As the planet began to cool and coalesce, life began to grow, a process that took several million years. Upon the face of the newly formed continents, plant life flourished which facilitated early organisms to evolve, mutate, and grow. From these early creatures came the ancestors of the first peoples of Soluna. As all species do, these early beings gathered and created primitive groups as a means to survive, driven mostly by instinct instead of a higher brain function. All the while, the three comets had become part of the lay of the land, along with the bright star, they watched ever vigilant as the young world grew. One day, another meteorite fell from the skies, leaving a fiery trail of dust and smoke, upending the earth where it landed. There in the heart of the crater was a large piece of rock sizzled and smoldered. The ancient peoples of Soluna revered the rock, worshiping it as a god; a fractured piece of the ancient star. It became the driving force for growth, and as millennia passed, the early peoples continued to evolve, these ancient people were the ancestors of the first races. Centuries came and went, and as the primitive peoples continued to grow, as their higher functions increased, so too did the dark instincts within them. Their desires for the stone overwhelmed them, consumed them, they wanted it for their own. Soon they warred with one another, killed those who possessed the stone or any who would try and take it from them. The stone traded hands many times each one bloodier than the one before it. Some two billion years ago, a calamity befell the planet, when another monstrously large comet came crashing down. The Silver Age The comet landed right in the heart of the early continent of Soluna, wiping out 90% of life. It is believed that this event may have been on par with the first impact. The powerful shock to the planet sent a trillion tons of debris flying through the air. Smoke choked the skies, blocking the rays of the sun and the light of the eternal star. The land splintered and shattered, causing the slow, but eventual separation of the continents of present day Soluna. Darkness reigned for millions of years, as life tried to recover. The first peoples to emerge from this darkness, 6 million years ago, were ancestors of the Umbrians. Forged and formed from the smoke, ash, and void of the world around them, figures of inky blackness, the Umbrians became the dominant force on Soluna for thousands of years. In the cold void of the planet, the soft dim glow of the star pierced through the veil of ash. The umbrians saw this, the first point of light in the sky, followed it, eventually leading them to the comet. This became the center of their culture, the basis of the planets first form of civilization, with its own primitive form of government and religion. They built around it, worshiped it, and named it, the Tear of Soluna, their twilight goddess. Some time during a span of two million years, a new species was born from within the shadow folk, born free from darkness, they were beings of ethereal light, wielding mysterious powers and abilities. The Umbrians, believing that these little points of light created in a world of darkness, were divine children of their heavenly goddess. So they were given much, treating them as religious and secular leaders. These beings of light were the Caeleans, and their arrival gave birth to the Caelean Empire. The Gold Age The time during the Caelean Empire’s founding until its destruction 8000 years later, is known as the Age of Enlightenment. Though not much remains from this period, scattered pieces (I.e. small structures, fine pieces of pottery, ornate metalworks) of their long lost glory remains. During this period the peoples of Soluna grew in leaps and bounds. They formed a more structured community, their form of speech, a more organized government, and an ever increasing zeal for their Goddess. It was during this time that magic was becoming increasingly common. Groups of umbrians separated from one another, creating their individual places in the world. The Caeleans also increased in number, being born into communities of Umbrians more often. These revered peoples, united in their similarities, began to unify the detached bands of umbrians, eventually forming one large force, the Caelean Empire. The Caeleans, much like those who wield power, sought to take more of it. They became increasingly tyrannical, treating the Umbrians as their slaves, for they were believed to be lesser creatures, born out of chaos and darkness. They swept through the continents on a crusade to assimilate very tribe that wasn’t part of their Empire, ensuring their power and increasing their numbers. At the peak of their civilization, twelve Caeleans sat upon the throne of the Empire, and several thousand Umbrians bowed, bent, and broken beneath them. It was also during this time that the comet was transformed. It’s rough outer layers chipped away, revealing the diamond core inside. The Caeleans, seeing this as a piece of their creator, decorated themselves with small fragments of the huge stone. For eight millennia the Caeleans ruled with an iron fist, until one day, a large group of Umbrians, sought a way to end their suffering once and for all. Gathering around the Caeleans seat of power, the Umbrians aggregated their small stores of magical energy, and in their despair caused a great destruction upon the empire. This power, collected, was so potent that it fractured even the land around them irrevocably. The Umbrians had sacrificed themselves to end their oppressive leaders reign. The Platinum Age 600,000 years ago, while the Umbrians and Caeleans roamed the land, new life began to emerge. Spurred on by the collision of the Soluna meteor, beasts great and small began to roam the lands and formless fey soared across the aether, while deep in the depths of the seas life flourished. For a few thousand years, these creatures evolved, following the steps of the races before them, the beasts became the first dragons, the fey became the elves, and the creatures of the sea became early merfaer. The merfaer had a wide breadth of sea to populate, territories were wide, and space was not an issue. They were communal people, sensitive and empathic to each other’s needs. They lived in harmony with the world around them, unburdened by turmoil, theirs was a capricious and curious society. The elves and the dragons however, were not so fortunate. The great dragons of old were avaricious and greedy, they were built big and strong, living mostly on instinct as other beasts did. The land and the skies were their hunting grounds, and they would take from it what they wanted. The elves, unable to fly, were stuck to the borders of the land. In order to survive, these primitive elves fought back the dragons constantly, the tyrants pressing their power, the elves only fighting for their lives. In an attempt to escape the shadow of the dragons, the elves scattered their peoples in search of lands untainted. During this search, a coterie of elves stumbled on the remnants of the forgotten umbrians. Naturally sensitive to the forces of magic, the elves were called towards the enchanted land. These elves, seeking liberation from the dragons, wished for the Umbrians help. Seeing their own oppression, the shadow folk granted them the knowledge to wield ancient magic. These elves, spending a great deal of time in the umbrians mytical land, became the first Vaara Elves. Granted this new found power, the Vaara marched back to win back their land. This tumultuous period of history would extend for years, establishing the innate feud between the elves and the ryth. The last race that evolved from the Soluna impact were the Humans. Evolved from primates, the Humans thrived far in the north, away from the influence of the merfaer, the tyranny of the ryth, and the vigilant elves. The humans had a knack for creation and community, making simple tools, simple weapons, and simple artifacts. Due to their short life spans, the humans multiplied quickly, in fact too quickly. They soon dominated the world as the most numerous of the land dwelling species, unchecked by wars, disease, or famine. The fifth age lasted for 550,000 years and includes the expansion and continued evolution of the world and it’s species. Many empires would be built and sundered, yet none can capture the lost grandeur of the Caeleans, monuments to these failed kingdoms can be seen in the far reaches of Soluna. To the north, the humans have established a strong, united force, slowly increasing in power, pushing the boundaries of technology. The constant struggles of the elves forced them to be merciless and cold, wielding metal and magic as potent and deadly tools to push back their draconic foes. The dragons themselves, hunted and beset by the fey, slowly got smaller and smaller, eventually losing their ability to fly. The merfaer, hearing of the turmoil of the world, slowly became more reclusive, opting to fill the lands far from the fighting. The umbrians, never having recovered from the memory of their past, became more and more devoted to their ancient faith, finding and hoping for salvation in the Goddess. The ancient light, bringer of life, has begun to dim, the last fragments of it’s life being consumed by the darkness. The Diamond Age The last age spans 10,000 years in the past to the present day. At the end of the platinum age, the humans had become the majority of the population of Soluna. Living mostly in the continent they named E’Dan, they surpassed the other races in many ways, the elves in their numbers, the ryth in their militant power, and the merfaer in their technical proficiencies. The ancient magical arts bestowed to the Vaara were also perfected by the humans. As a testament to their power, the Humans built an empire, in the heart of what is now known as Konyu. This city was built to pierce the sky, high enough that the elves and the ryth could see it in their skyline. Only the humans could access the city, using flying gondolas, now that the ryth could no longer fly, their empire was a fortress. The Empire of Konyu established on the year 6174 BD (Before the Dark) is considered one of the great civilizations of the ancient world. Like all great things however, the empire would eventually crumble. 4000 years ago, late in the night, when the moon had disappeared from the horizon, the glimmer of the ancient star, flickered and disappeared forever. In the horizon of that darkness another point of light was born, seen from miles and miles around. This light as caused by an explosion at the top of the Empire of Konyu, decimating the buildings built beneath it. The conflagration cascaded down the mountains, a tide of fire and fury that took the lives of millions of people. The cause of this explosion is unknown, some say it was caused by the arrogance and hubris of the humans, attempting to reach the realm of the goddess. This moment in history would be known as the Dark, the moment the ancient light vanished from the sky, with the destruction of Konyu occurring in the year 1 AD (After the Dark). After the fall of Konyu, the human numbers severely dwindled, their home shattered, and their knowledge lost to the ashes of the ruins. Humanity needed to start all over again, they were left with remains of their ancestors attempting to rebuild their power. Fragmented and divided, the humans founded various colonies far removed from their cradle. To the south the fractured tribes of elves and ryth, continued on with their ancient war unfazed by humanity’s calamity, while the secluded merfaer built their own empire in secret. With the disappearance of the star, the Umbrians finally took their first steps outside the ancient home, spreading their faith to the world. The light of their Goddesses wisdom replacing the void. The years from 1 AD to the current year, 4011 AD, has seen the formation of the Empyrean Kingdom, the dissolving of the Eidevaar Kings, the signing of the Empyrean Treaties, the rise and fall of the Kikaiki, and the rapid spread of the Church of Sophia. ='Time Cycles'= Soluna is a spherical planet with two axes on both poles. It rotates on theses axes as it orbit around it’s yellow star. The 360 rotation and orbit allows the planet to experience cycles of night and day and seasonal changes through the year. This allows for the peoples of the world, both prehistorically and present day. A day in Soluna is calculated as the full 360 rotation of the planet on it’s axis. It has a day cycle, a time in which the sun grants warmth and light to the surface of the planet that faces it, and a night cycle, a darkening time in which that particular surface of the planet faces away from the sun. This cycle of day and night helps regulate various other internal cycles for plants, peoples, and geological events on Soluna. A full day is usually a span of 24 hours with a day cycle of 12 hours and the other 12 hours considered the night. The annual time of Soluna is called a year, and is the orbital period of the planet around the sun. The planet takes 364 days to complete its 360 degree orbit. The planet goes through several different seasons as it orbit’s the sun, due to the elliptical path it takes, thus some times the planet is farther from the sun, while at other times it is closer. These seasonal changes manifest differently depending on how close you are to the poles or to the equator of the planet. Higher up the poles, people will experience four different seasonal changes, while close to the central warm belt of the planet the seasons are split in two, wet and dry, each one lasting longer than the other four seasons. The 364 day year of Soluna is subcategorized to thirteen different groups of time, called months, with each month consisting of 28 days each. These months are named after the thirteen original Caelean kings that created this calendar: Mesha, Rishabha, Mithuna, Karka, Simha, Kanya, Tula, Vrishika, Naga, Dhanus, Makara, Kumbha, and Mina. These months are then divided into four different sets of seven days; a week. The current calendar of Soluna uses a specific way of numbering years starting from year 1 to the current year. These years are called the years After the Dark or AD, so named because it was the years following the disappearance of the eternal star and similarly the fall of the Konyu Empire. Years before the beginning of the AD, were called the years Before the Dark or BD. As with AD starting with year one, BD starts with year one as well and counts backwards. The first year before the fall of Konyu is 1 BD, two years before that is 2 BD and so forth. There is no year zero; 1 AD immediately follows 1 BD.